They didn't want to finish second again.
So, when the Under-15 Kodiaks arrived in Kamloops for this year's KYSA Cup youth soccer tournament, they were a highly-motivated group. Four games later, they were champions.
The Kodiaks, competing in the boys Silver Division, wrapped up the title when they edged the Kamloops Blaze 1-0 in their last game of the weekend.
"It was a hard-fought battle," said Kodiaks coach Julius Komlos. "Not much separated the two teams."
The Kodiaks, representing the Prince George Youth Soccer Association, scored the only goal just five minutes into the contest. On the play, Blair Kofoed found room to run down the right side of the field and then unleashed a hard shot that the Blaze goalkeeper couldn't handle. He got a small piece of the ball, but not enough of it.
Both teams created their share of scoring chances after that but the goalies stood their ground. Riley Kidd earned the shutout for the Kodiaks.
"He had an outstanding game," Komlos said. "He made some key saves."
Earlier in the tournament, the Blaze downed the Kodiaks 1-0.
In their other games, the Kodiaks beat the European Football School of North Vancouver 2-0 and defeated Revelstoke 2-0.
In the 2010 KYSA Cup, the Kodiaks lost to Terrace in the Silver Division championship game.
"Our goal that we set for ourselves this year was to win that division," Komlos said. "Now that we've won it we feel we could step it up [to the Gold Division]. We played some teams that were in the Gold Division in Kelowna a few weeks earlier and we played very well against them."
The Kodiaks are rounded out by Kyle Apolczer, Duncan Blagdon, Robert Chubb, Danton Coleman, Brandon Cosh, Addison Douglas, Omer Hamour, Sukhbir Jhander, Clay Kiiskila, Simon Kiiskila, Jeremy Komlos, Braeden Rake, Jesse Rake and Tyler Tecson.
Next up for the Kodiaks is a zone playdown, June 11 in Prince George against 100 Mile House. That same 100 Mile House club will host provincials in July.
